Chinese Pickles

This Chinese-style pickled vegetables is the perfect appetizer dish to complement any Chinese meal, and so unbelievably easy to make! Recently, we have been eating really simple at home on weekdays nights with only one Chinese soup of the day and rice.

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With no sumptuous side dishes, these humble pickled vegetables totally perk things up at the dinner table! The sour and sweet flavour makes it an excellent appetite booster. I learnt the tip about marinating and ‘sweating’ the cucumber for extra crunchiness from Little Corner of Mine (check out her delicious Pickled Radish, Cucumber and Carrot Recipe). My mix of ingredients is similar to our local acar – with cucumbers, shallots, pineapples and chilli padi.

Chinese-style Pickled Vegetables

This Chinese-style pickles is the perfect appetizer dish to complement any Chinese meal. You can eat it an hour after soaking but for best results, allow to soak overnight before consumption. Keeps refrigerated for about a week (though it will probably not last that long).

Serves:one x 750ml bottle of pickles

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:5 mins

Ingredients

1 cucumber de-seeded, cut to uniform, chunky fries strips

1 tsp salt

1 carrot peeled and cut to uniform, chunky fries strips

8 shallots peeled and thinly sliced

50 grams pineapple flesh diced

2 chilli padi sliced thinly; to taste

(A) Vinegar Solution

1 cup rice vinegar

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

a pinch of salt to taste

You also need:

one x 750ml glass bottle

Directions

Rub cut cucumber with 1 tsp salt, allow to 'sweat' for at least 30 minutes. This will make the cucumbers more crunchy. Rinse, drain and squeeze dry.

In a saucepan, bring (A) to a simmer, until the sugar dissolves. Adjust to taste accordingly to your preference.

When the vinegar solution has cooled, add to it the prepared cucumber, carrot, shallots, pineapple and chilli. Store in a covered glass bottle and refrigerate.

Noob Cook Tips

You can also add daikon/radish (white carrot) to the mix of vegetables. The method of preparation will be similar to cucumbers, where you need to rub salt for at least 30 minutes before use.

The vinegar mixture can be re-used for a second batch of picked vegetables, if desired.

For best results, use authentic rice vinegar rather than the artificial/imitation vinegar.

You can cut the vegetables to uniform small wedges (acar-style) instead of long strips, according to your liking.